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I have never heard of anyone being able to do hypers for reps with half the weight they can deadlift.YouTube is your friend.
If I understand, you're supporting the bar with your arms? That is not correct. Your arms should not be supporting the weight of the bar. Sounds like you have technique problems. Seriously, at your level most problems are sorted out by technique, food, and recovery. Assistance exercises probably won't help you. Go to the SS forums and post a video of your form on the technique board. You'll soon find out what's wrong.
If you can post a video that would definitely be best.
Onymous,When my numbers were around where yours were, I put 30 lbs. on my squat in about 10 days just by squatting to max every day and then doing some doubles at about 80-90% of whatever I hit that day. Getting comfortable with max weights seems like a pretty big deal. Look up any of the following below if you're interested in how to properly do this. (It's very easy to fuck it up if you don't understand what a training max is.)Bulgarian TrainingJohn BrozGreg EverettNick HortonMyosynthesis (Title of a blog which has some good reading on CNS and how to properly go about this type of thing)
There should really be no need of adding in accessory exercises with a squat that low, if you're looking to actually do the SS Novice program and not a “modified version of it”. Make sure you chose your starting weight appropriately for your strength levels. It's in the squat chapter how to determine that.Re-read the squat chapter in Rip's book, twice if you have to. Then read all of Rip's articles in the "Resources" section of his site. Specifically the articles related to "core". Then watch all of his squat related video's in the "Resources" section of his site.Make sure you're eating enough.Check your form or have it checked, either by a training partner, coach or take a video and post it here or better yet in the "Technique" forum on Rip's site. Certified SS coaches check the "Technique" forum on a regular basis.Squat more. If you aren't flexible to get into good squat position, either in the hips, hammies or shoulder-area, stretch until you can. The act of squatting itself will keep you flexible enough to perform the movement if you're squatting with full ROM.Good luck.
Difficult to advise without knowing your vital stats and/or video of squat but in my experience SS problems usually relate to lack of food, lack of sleep or doing too many other activities. Your squat is weak considering the length of time you've been on SS. I would say core exercises are a waste of time for a beginner. Squatting will make your core strong. Make sure you've nailed your technique (read SS, watch the videos, go on the forum) and then add the prescribed weights and recover properly. The only assistance exercise which I think have any merit for a beginner on SS are back exercises (chins and rows). Just my 2 cents ...
Whoops, just saw this. I agree.Jon
I would say don't add any new exercises until the main lifts are near perfect as far as technique goes. I would consider myself still a novice lifter, been doing stronglifts on and off for the last 2 years. Pretty similar program, great for beginners to jump into strength training. Honestly, all my lifts improved when I stuck with just squat, bench, and row on day A, and then squat, overhead press, and deadlift on day B. Then again, I am a technique freak and have filmed myself trying to analyze what's wrong and what can improve. My technique still suck but practice makes perfect. What I did to help all my lifts were to read and watch different articles and videos, analyze how your body is compared to theirs, and adjust here and there. When I first started squating, I was trying to follow Rippetoe's advice and instructions to the T, seems to not work, so I ventured on reading through Dave Tate and EliteFTS's info, gathered some advice from Wendler and kinda figured out how to read my body and form. The post seems long so here are the Cliff notes:My favorite Rippetoe line for the squats, "HIP DRIVE."
Squat. Every. Day. End. Of. Story.____________________________November 27, 2011: 1RM of 195 lbs.January 04, 2012: 1RM of 275 lbs. (with more depth than 195)No reverse hyper this or that. The program was:Squat to Daily Max. Add backoff sets at around 90% of max if I felt like it that day. Eat (4,000-6,000 calories)Repeat (No days off ideally, but if you do just make sure it's at least six days per week)"If your family was captured and you were told you needed to put 100 pounds onto your max squat within two months or your family would be executed, would you squat once per week? Something tells me that you'd start squatting every day. Other countries have this mindset. America does not."– John BrozYou don't need more exercises, you need less. And more food. Best of luck,AF
This sounds like a form issue. The new grip you describe sounds correct. If you can get a video, post it over on the SS.com site and be prepared for a shit storm, but they will likely tell you what's wrong. There are some very well-versed strength coaches on that site.
This sounds like a form issue. The new grip you describe sounds correct. If you can get a video, post it over on the SS.com site and be prepared for a shit storm, but they will likely tell you what's wrong. There are some very well-versed strength coaches on that site.
Oh no! I can see the replies on SS already: "YNDTP"; "Read the book"; "Buy the book"; "Go to a seminar" 😮Onymous, I would also recommend that you check-in with the SS community by posting a video (following the site guidelines) here: http://bit.ly/w0nWu1If you have thick skin, post your video/question in the "Mark Rippetoe Q&A" 🙂I would highly recommend that you do not post a question such as "what assistance/extra exercises can I add to SS". Instead, your opening post should be something like this:Weight:Height:Age:Squat/Deadlift/Press/Bench Press #Problem you are having (attach video if possible)Furthermore, you might want to invest in the SS DVD if this is something you want to pursue for a while - have a look at this technique video:Platform - The Squat - Bar Positionhttp://vimeo.com/30763907Lastly, if you feel that you are having issues with thoracic mobility/stability, you need to work on your mobility ASAP. Mobility work is your responsibility as a strength trainee. Start with some self myofascial release using a foam roller, this alone should do wonders. Second, if you're a real keener (and on a budget ;)), you should follow the MobilityWOD project from Day 1: http://www.mobilitywod.com/page/90
Squat. Every. Day. End. Of. Story.
Adam,That. Is. An. Arrogant. Response.You're advising a novice lifter to utilize a training protocol for advanced lifters based on anecdotal evidence.You state that your squat increased from 195# to 275# over a period of six weeks? Following a program for novices would have taken your squat from 195# to 375# (for three sets of five, not a 1RM) following the same 4-6kcal you recommend (e.g. 6(weeks) * 3(training days/week) * 10(lbs increase/training day) + 195 (starting squat weight)).Just saying.
Starting Strength recommends you add 15 lbs. per week, not 30, but regardless, I kept track of that pretty carefully and the results turned out to be equivalent. If national raw powerlifting records and documented video from novice and advanced trainees qualify as anecdotal evidence, I think we have different definitions. The point wasn't even to squat every day, the point was that this mindset of "when struggling, make things more complicated" is clearly nonsense, and people way stronger and more experienced than I am are showing that every day. If you look at 90% of the top generally accepted strength training programs (except for starting strength), they all have an auto-regulatory component. Westside Barbell, 5/3/1, Pavel T's Easy Strength, etc. I didn't get this idea from thinking I know more, I got it from looking at and listening to people who get results.
Starting Strength recommends you add 15 lbs. per week, not 30, but regardless, I kept track of that pretty carefully and the results turned out to be equivalent.
This is not entirely true. The male novice should start with 10 pound jumps per workout on the squat and the deadlift until he cannot keep it up. Only then should he switch to 5 pound jumps.
In general I agree with the “if your squat sucks, squat more” line of thinking. My only concern with stuff like Broz recommends is that if your form isn't up to snuff, then you're going to ingrain shit form. So, if you do go with the Smolov or Broz route just make sure you're form is dialed in.
Those are all fair points, though if your form is weak every time you squat is going to ingrain it regardless, so there's no point in even lifting on SS or any other program. Since form is largely neural, ff you're working hard on developing your form, then it makes sense to me to work at it every day, even if you're doing Starting Strength and only squatting the bar on your off days. -AF
I agree this sounds like an upper body issue. I was reading about hand placement and that is part of it. Depending on where you are resting the bar on your shoulders will have a huge impact on your upper back. The higher up the bar closer to your neck, the more your body is going to want to naturally lean forward. This leads me to believe you are having lack of strength in your lats, plus posterior delts and traps. Squats are more than just a quad exercise so it seems to me that you have significant posterior core stability if your hypers are that strong and you can deadlift the amount you say. DO NOT squat every day, but I would say with the help of carb back loading, a good rule of thumb to start is to go with a simple 4 sets of 8 squat routine. When you get 8 reps for the weight your are lifting for 2 consecutive weeks, up that weight by 5 to 10%. That's a simple way to up weight without going to far off the charts.
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